Award

Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) goalie and Lightning prospect Torrie Jung was the the main reason for the club's first playoff run this season, and his efforts were recognized with a trio of team awards over the weekend.

According to the Edmonton Sun, the 19-year-old was named team Most Valuable Player and earned the three-stars award as well as the humanitarian award.

(CHL Release) The BOSTON PIZZA WHL Player of the Week is forward Mitch Fadden of the Tri-City Americans.

Fadden picked up eight points, scoring two goals and six assists to go with a +5 rating in three games over the last week, helping the Tri-City Americans win their Kal-Tire 2009 WHL Western Conference Quarter-Finals best-of-seven series over the Everett Silvertips 4-1.

On Wednesday, March 25th, the Tri-City Americansâ€™ opening round series shifted back to the Comcast Arena in Everett for games three and four versus the Silvertips, with the series tied 1-1. In game three Fadden picked up a goal and an assist as the Americans downed the â€˜Tips 4-2 to jump out to a 2-1 series lead and was named the games 1st Star. In game four on Friday, March 27th, Fadden netted one goal and added two assists as the Americans took a strangle hold on the best of seven series 3-1 with their 4-1 victory. He was also named the games 2nd Star.

The WHL announced their annual awards finalists today, and it wasn't great news for Lightning prospect Dustin Tokarski.

Despite leading the league in 4 of the 5 goaltending categories (goals against average, save percentage, shutouts, shootout percentage - 5th in wins), Tokarski lost out to fellow Team Canada goaltender Chet Pickard of the Tri-City Americans for the Western Conference's First All-Star team goaltender, and the conference nominee for Goaltender of the Year.

Tokarski was voted to the Conference's Second All-Star team. Possible 2009 Lightning draft target Evander Kane was named to the First team.

While stats obviously don't mean everything, and Pickard's Americans finished just ahead of Spokane in the U.S. Division, Pickard finished with one more win than Tokarski (35), a 5th place GAA of 2.28 (Tokarski 1.97), a 2nd place save percentage of .921 (Tokarski .937), and 6 shutouts (second to Tokarski and Jones' 7). Pickard also had six fewer losses than Tokarski.

(WHL release)The Western Hockey League announced today that forward Mitch Fadden, of the Tri-City Americans, has been named the HUSKY WHL Player of the Month for February.

The 20-year-old native of Salmon Arm, British Columbia, appeared in all 12 Tri-City games through February notching 14 goals and adding eight assists for 22 points, establishing a new career-high for both stats in one month. He picked up points in 11 of 12 games and wrapped up the month with an eight game goal streak, which has since been stretch to nine games, the WHLâ€™s longest goal scoring streak of the season. Fadden also maintained an impressive +15 rating through the month of February which is also a new career-high for a month.

(WHL release)The BOSTON PIZZA WHL Player of the Week is forward Mitch Fadden of the Tri-City Americans.

Fadden picked up seven points, scoring six goals and one assist to go with a +4 rating in four games over the past week, helping the Americans post a 4-0-0-0 record in that span.

On Wednesday, February 25th, the Americans welcomed the Chilliwack Bruins to the Toyota Centre for a WHL Western Conference clash. Fadden scored twice as the Ams downed the Bruins 8-1 and was named the games 2nd Star.

Tokarski was robbed like USA's Colin Wilson against ... well ... Tokarski.

The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Raffaele Dâ€™Orso of the Val dâ€™Or Foreurs is the ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending February 1. Dâ€™Orso won three games for the Foreurs including one shutout victory stopping a total of 133 shots with a goals-against-average of 1.33 and a save percentage of .971.

Dâ€™Orso began his week Tuesday night when the Foreurs hosted the Montreal Juniors. He stopped all 48 shots including 17 in the third period for the 3-0 shutout win, his first of the season, with first star of the game honours. On Friday Dâ€™Orso was again solid between the pipes making 33 saves helping the Foreurs defeat the Halifax Mooseheads 6-2. His week would end on Saturday with an outstanding performance against a strong Moncton Wildcats team. Dâ€™Orso made 22 third period saves for a game-total of 52 as first star of the game leading the Foreurs to a 4-2 win.

The OHL nominee for the award this week is Scott Stajcer of the Owen Sound Attack who won all three of his starts and posted a goals-against-average of 2.00 with an OHL best save percentage of .956. Stajcer is eligible for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft and competed at the 2009 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.

Lightning prospect Dustin Tokarski of the Spokane Chiefs was the best goaltender in the WHL for the third week in a row with three victories including two shutouts allowing just one goal on 88 shots. Tokarski has now won 11 straight games for the Chiefs.

For the third week in a row, the WHL has nominated Lightning prospect Dustin Tokarski of Spokane for the ADT CHL Goaltender of the Week Award. Tokarski, who posted a 3-0-0-0 record with two shutouts, a GAA of 0.33 and a save percentage of .988, came up short the previous two weeks to OHL goaltenders.

Tokarski leads the WHL in GAA (1.75), save percentage (.944), and shutouts (6). His Chiefs teammate, Drayson Bowman, was named WHL Player of the Week for scoring five goals and five assists in Spokane's three victories this week.

The USHL has announced their lineups for the 2009 USHL Prospects/All-Star Game to be held February 4 in Sioux Falls. Lightning prospect and Western Michigan University commit Luke Witkowski was named to the defensive squad for the West Division.

Teams are selected by a vote from league coaches.

Witkowski, a 2008 6th round pick, stands 6'2" and weights 200 pounds. The Force captain leads all Fargo defensemen in scoring with three goals and 10 points in 29 games this season. He also leads all Force players - and is fifth in the league among defensemen - in plus/minus with a plus-15 rating. He is second in the league among defensemen behind teammate Steve Spinnell (undrafted, Miami Univ. commit) in penalty minutes with 76.

Last season, Witkowski scored 13 points (3 goals) in 59 games with the Ohio Junior Blue Jackets - his first in the USHL. Luke will begin his collegiate career at WMU next fall.

The American Hockey League announced today that Norfolk Admirals forward and Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Steve Downie will play for Team Canada at the 2009 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Charter Communications, to be played later this month at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Downie, a 5-foot-10, 192-pound native of Newmarket, Ontario, has posted six goals and 14 assists for 20 points in just 15 games for Norfolk this season. Among his notable accomplishments with the Admirals this season are a franchise-record tying four-assist game on December 13 versus Bridgeport, a hat trick on December 27 versus Philadelphia and a Norfolk season-high eight-game scoring streak from November 16 â€“ December 27 during which he registered five goals and ten assists.

Downie was acquired by the Tampa Bay Lightning from the Philadelphia Flyers along with Steve Eminger on November 7 in the deal that sent Matt Carle to the Flyers. Prior to the trade, he also appeared in four games with the Flyers' AHL affiliate, the Philadelphia Phantoms, recording one goal and seven assists. In 19 total AHL games this season, Downie has seven goals and 21 assists for 28 points. In 41 career AHL contests between Norfolk and Philadelphia, the second-year professional has scored 12 goals and 38 assists for 50 points.

TSN.ca is announcing Team Canada's final roster for the upcoming World Junior Championship, and for the first time two Lightning draftees will be on the squad.

Two-way winger/center Dana Tyrell of the WHL's Prince George Cougars, a 2007 2nd round draft choice, is one of just 12 forwards named to the team. Goaltender Dustin Tokarski, a 2008 fifth round pick from Spokane of the WHL, is one of two goalies, joining Tri-City's Chet Pickard.

A character forward known for his work ethic, physical play, and scoring, Tyrell currently leads Prince George with 19 goals and 21 assists for 40 points in 30 games. The 19 year old nicknamed "Whiskers" also serves as captain of the Cougars.

Tokarski leads the WHL in save percentage (.938) and shutouts (4) and is second in goals against average (1.97) to Vancouver's Jamie Tucker, who has now played in the minimum amount of games to be counted among that category's leaders.

The Lightning have not had a draftee on Team Canada since Brad Richards in 1999-2000.

Tampa Bay joins St. Louis, L.A., and Buffalo as the only NHL teams to place multiple prospects on the team.